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Sakmongkol ak 47

ariff.sabri@gmail.com

Sunday, 20 February 2011

I am sending some interesting articles over to Free Malaysia Today. They cover some thoughts on my recent meeting with The Oracle of Syed Putera. Readers who are interested may keep a lookout for the articles. Yes, I am hoping to be a regular contributor to FMT.

At the moment though I want to comment on Tengku Razaleigh's felicitations and birthday wishes to the old warhorse of Malaysian politics- Lim Kit Siang. I don't know Lim Kit Siang personally but certainly know of him. When I was a student at UM in the late 70's, The Rocket was a reading favorite alongside Mimbar Sosialis. The DAP's headquarters at that time was at Paramount Gardens in Section 20 PJ.

Kit Siang's first book that I read circa 1977 or 78 was Time Bombs in Malaysia. After that I read several of his other books and there were so many of them. When I was working with an oil Multinational, Kit Siang amazed everybody when he devoured the entire report of the BMF affair and debated the issue in Parliament. Barisan MPs were mostly caught napping I thought. Most probably many of them were on page 3 still with many wishing the page 3 they were reading was the UK Sun newspaper.

What can we make of Razaleigh's felicitous wishes to Kit Siang? Kit Siang is probably 2 years younger that Ku Li and has been around, in fact a pillar in Parliament for as long as anyone can remember. He is undeniably part of the Malaysian Parliament. Which is why, the dearth of salutations from brother MPs to this more or less permanent fixture in Parliament is baffling. In Malaysia, political differences easily translate into deep-seated hostilities.

That is why; Razaleigh's readiness to openly convey best wishes to Lim Kit Siang is refreshingly uplifting. It shows people can set aside political differences and embrace each other in a brotherly manner. And I hope this will open a new page in Malaysian political book where people with seemingly different political ideologies and inclinations can unite for the cause of a greater good.

There is no cause for the greater good at the moment more deserving to be taken up other than a fervent wish of a Malaysia founded on the rule of law, Malaysia that is run on democratic principles, Malaysia that is managed properly.

But can people read in between the lines on what Ku Li has said? I re quote some of the passages and perhaps we can gloss over it.

You have consistently upheld and stood your ground on matters relating to the fundamental rights of all the rakyat, irrespective of race, to free and responsible speech, the rights to enjoy a just and fair distribution of the economic and social wealth of the nation, and to political, judicial and legal justice. You have consistently and courageously spoken up against the corruption and the various misdeeds and defaults of the government and demanded actions, both in Parliament as well as outside it, despite the possible reprisals, the threats and even possible punitive actions that might be taken against you, which in fact you have suffered in the past.

The elements of the greater good must include championing the fundamental rights of the rakyat, pushing for democracy and striving for economic justice. The cause for the greater good entails, by necessity, speaking out against the excesses of the government- any government of the day for that matter and condemning corruption as the heinous scourge that it is.

Why is it important to remain steadfast in fighting for these things? Because as Tengku Razaleigh rightly points out:-

By sticking to these: -

In the end, it seems to me you are the winner because, despite what your opponents say about you, as long as you know and believe what you stand for is good for the people and the country, you are on the right path.

This should be a clarion call to all fair minded Malaysians of all races.Of course by the way, i join the many others in wishing Lim Kit Siang a happy birthday.

Syabas Sak. That is magnanimous of you. And being 70 is indeed a milestone.We must always remember to send Birthday greetings to people we know.What more between politicians as a kind gesture and rememberance, though of different camps.But why only UMNO people like you and Ku Li seem to remember him. Not forgetting Aspan whose postings look as if he's got one foot on the other side.I have not seen Aljay and family wished their kindred pal. Maybe Tok Guru has his own fatwa about sending birthday wishes.We are not reading too much about this. But the pro-opposition bloggers and Uncle Lim himself had used your postings. They all acknowledged you as an impartial and well-informed and knowlegeable blogger.UMNO does not seem to value you.It will be a waste of talent if you cannot be MB of Pahang or a Minister after the coming GE.Sell yourself now to Najib, Sak. I hope no one will sabotage you. Faham-fahamlah kan. (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).If PKR offers you a seat will you take it? You can replace Anwar, bro.And your commentators here are sure to agree.

Of course KuLi is head and shoulders above all the simpletons in UMNO and Perkasa.They see nothing good in Opposition MPs, even after their deaths.Kit is one special kind of man - detained twice under ISA - but unlike Lee Lam Thye, Hu Sepang, and many DAP chaps who gave up along the way, Kit stood his ground. AND NOT A SINGLE STATE GAVE HIM A DATUKSHIP!!!!

Read it properly. Get it into the thick skull of yours.Even my 5-year old child can read better.I can't blame you. You have been staying too long in that Kepong or Jinjang Reservation Land.Get out and see the world.Sure Kit or son can sponsor you wherever you want to study.

To all the sceptics and critics alike,Eat your heart out.All is not lost and hopeless in UMNO.We have good people like the mighty Ku Li and the sensible Dato Sak.In fact there many more who share similar characteristics like them in UMNO. Sadly though we have eggheads too in our set up, as the saying goes" There is a sucker born every minute".So to Mr.JOhn Wayne. just ignore the despair guy.To quiet despair,Please dont be emotional when posting a comment.You are not doing any good to UMNO with not so sensible kinda comments.

In umno only the real rotten scumbags, the corrupted ones are elected.The honest , upright and fairminded are discarded.That is the untold umno story.Even TRH is a class above those scums at least he not a hippocrit like most umno puks.

The thinking seems to be that if you praise the opposition, then they are at least right in certain ways.

No one has a monopoly on fairness, righteousness or good governance, which seems to escape many politicians of the day, especially those that has been in power like forever. It takes the evens in Africa and Middle-east these last few weeks for many to realise that many of these countries have leaders who have run the country for 30 years or more.

The politics of hatred and hostility in Malaysia is sowed and propagated by that 1/2 Indian whose ancestors are from Kerala.

Look at US. Obama and Clinton fought with each other, bitterly, to gain the Republican's nomination for Presidency. When Obama later became President, he appointed his bitter rival, Clinton to be his SS.

In M'sia, Mahathir fought bitterly with TR to become Umno President. When he won, he chopped off TR and his B team members. In his later fight with Anwar, he masterminded a fictitious sodomy charge and subsequent conviction with the help of the Police/AG/Judiciary. And in a run-up to Anwar's arrest, all of Anwar key supporters were ISAed. Zahid was also detained u/d the ISA and had his balls squeezed by Mahatir's SB. He then becomes a turn-coat and Mahathir's obedient lapdog.

That is the political culture sowed and promoted by Mahathir until now. Umno MPs who is seen close to Anwar or the PR are viewed with suspicions.

All these are Kindergarten politics. That is why Umno should be completely annihilated so that a new political culture could be put in place in Malaysia; such as prime time TV showing the PM and the Opposition leader debating on key economic or social issues.

While Dr. Mahathir continues to spew venom and racist hatred in his twilight years, we have a gentleman in Tengku Razaleigh who not only is magnanimous but also a person of pedigree and class. Sad to say, there aren't any UMNO and Perkasa people that exude such sincere and genuine class like Tengku Razaleigh. Sometimes I wonder what would have become of UMNO and Malaysia if Tengku Razaleigh was at the helm of UMNO instead of Dr. Mahathir. I feel that if Tengku Razaleigh had led UMNO, UMNO today would have remained closer to the original philosophies and principles of the founding fathers.

B: 'That whilst a politician is a statesman who places the nation at his service, a statesman is a politician who places himself at the service of the nation?'

A: 'Yes, Sir. How many times have we seen our leaders become statesmen on the way up only to become politicians when they have reached their pinnacles?'

B: 'Whether in politics, business or general life, you can measure a man by how well he handles power, Sofea.

Too many have fallen into its vice grip and ended up deluding only themselves.

Once they think they have gotten away with it the first time, they convince themselves they can get away with it again and again. At that point in time, they become junkies of power.

So, Sofea, that's why the rule of principles is so important. It provides a common standard by which all will be measured by posterity because posterity will be the one left holding the baby after the bathtub has been thrown out the window.

To wit, the rule of principles provides the internal brake against abuse of position entrusted by the rakyat.

Because it is so easy to create ipso facto for one's decisions - that is, create some reason to justify the action after it is done for some other expediency.

While a leader may be easily swayed by the perception that the rakyat had voted him and so he is popular, in actual function they had only voted him because they had thought at the moment of voting that he could do the job best.

However, being popular and really doing the job best are two different things.

So, the rule of principles not only provides a common benchmark for how to conduct the affairs of a nation, it also shaves off the tendency to be popular.

And once all realize that voting on popularity is dicey, swing-voting will mature to a more principle-based culture for all.

Which in turn will deliver at least two other good effects.

One, leaders won't find it profitable anymore to flip-flop because their courage will be raised to do-the-right-thing all the time, as our great Walla had said so many times.

And two, hangers-on will dry off from surrounding the leaders to bodek them until they lose touch with reality.'

A: 'But to be fair, Sir, there is a difference in imperatives.

For the proposition or federal leader, it is to retain the seat and diminish the opposition. For the opposition, it is to win the seat and diminish the proposition.

The methods used for one are not the same as those used for the other.'

B: 'But if we think about it, there must only be one set of deliverables regardless of who is delivering them, no?

People shouldn't want to benefit when it is achieved at the cost of principles. Ends don't justify means, yes?'

B: 'In this world, how can they do that for long? If we cut across all faiths, there is an inviolable moral order in this world. We reap what we sow. The balance sheet of life always checks out.

The real statesmen are those politicians who realize this well enough to rectify themselves so that their decisions and actions don't affect the peoples until what is bad at the top gets carried with even higher intensity below, for when that happens, everyone suffers. Including that baby who will be an adult soon enough. No?'

A: 'Was that why LKY in one of his interviews had said he didn't give a damn about being idolized by the young in his country?'

B: 'He stayed focused on what really mattered to beat the challenges faced by the dot to survive and thrive, Sofea.

But i suspect his methods have come at a price which in a private moment away from the limelight even he himself could not deny. You would have noted that when his tone changed during that interview.

Maybe i am saying that because i remember what someone else had said long before him. That other person was interviewed on what he would wish for everyone when he was gone.

He said, on the intellectual level, the sole acceptance of facts, and, on the moral level, love and tolerance.'

A: 'Who was he, Sir?'

B: 'Bertrand Arthur William Russell, Sofea.

Here, see him for yourself:

http://is.gd/w1qfYO "

A: 'Do you think if he were alive today, Russell would have agreed with Malott?'

B: 'Oooo, you're turning out to be like me, Sofea!

I think Russell would have said if what Malott had said was like what Backman had said, then one should pay close attention to what both had said to see if they were facts or not, and if they were facts, then it's no point denying them but it would be better to address them fulsomely.'

A: 'With love and tolerance, perhaps as well, Sir?'

B: 'Very good! Let me ask you something back then.

Would you, if you are a mother today, be more fair to one child at the expense of your other children?'

A: 'Only if that child needs help more than the others, Sir.'

B: 'Why not then simplify to a noble principle as opposed to a new principle, and say that based on this noble principle, mother will be fair to all at all times, thereby teaching the first child that he is not the only child and teaching all the children that they individually and collectively form the family without which none will have an identity to belong to. According to the father, if i may add, ahem.'

A: 'Hmmm. You've bested me again, Sir.'

B: 'But, Sofea. My first rule of principles is women always must win.'

B: 'I mean our statesmen, namely reformed politicians, should be focused on what this country needs the most right now.

The first focus is as we have discussed the rule of principles. Let's return to that at the end.

The second focus is to create and embed a culture of excellence.

Note that i said embed in addition to create. It must be an embedded culture, not a faddish culture that starts tomorrow and fizzles out next year when the promo budget is finished.

That embedded culture of excellence calls for continuous improvement by everyone who shall execute every task to faultless perfection.

I don't care if he's a grass-cutter or a nuclear reactor engineer. The tasks must each and all be done faultlessly all the time. No exceptions, no excuses, no prevarications.

For instance, you don't repave a road by carelessly covering up the drain slits as well until rain floods the roads and creates puddles.

For instance, you don't let recalcitrants escape with racist remarks, including the racist remark that if a race makes racist remarks, then people will say the race can't make any remark about itself.

Can you "feel" the strength of what i've just said, Sofea? If you think that's undoable, then we are in bigger trouble than we thought.'

A: 'I read you, Sir. But i wonder whether you were having something else in mind when you mention this embedded culture of excellence?'

B: 'You know me, Sofea. I pick things out from the streams that flow by.

Take what the TalentCorp head had said about finding "winnable spaces" in his thrust to create a balance between attracting back locals and attracting globals.

Then take what our NYY had lamented about our national expo booth at the world expo recently, namely there were no Malaysian technology exhibits.

Then take what the MEF chief had said about our parity with the dot. Namely..."worker in Singapore is paid 2.5 to three times that of an equivalent skill in Malaysia but their productivity is 3.8 times higher than a Malaysian worker. At such levels, Singapore is 21% cheaper than Malaysia."

Now, put all three together and tell me what is the key message against what the economic transformation program requires in order to achieve our developed economy status. Whether or not we really are "on track" with just some numbers or not.

And, that, Sofea, is why i had mentioned embedded culture of excellence.

If we don't focus really hard on excellence in talent, we're finished. We will slide and slide until one day we will find no amount of spin can hide the facts of our irrelevance. I can talk about this subject for hours with you. But it's getting late and i am a tirrrrred ooolldddd m-a-a-nn, Soooofffea-aaa.'

A: 'Sir, you're stuttering! Are you trying to do a duke of york on me? Care to share your own King's Speech?'

B: 'Another time perhaps. Let me end with the jaw.'

A: 'What jaw? Jaws' jaw?'

B: 'Any young man's jaw will do, Sofea. Ask a young man to close his jaw and then ask someone else, say an older hornier man perhaps, to prise it open with his hands.

It's not that easy, Sofea. So if one cannot prise open a jaw, how can one conduct this country's most globally embarrassing judicial affrontery, probably a first in the kinky world?

A: 'And what's that, Sir?'

B: 'Oral sodomy. Now, what were we saying about what Malott and Backman and the others had said? Do you see what we have been discussing about the rule of principles, Sofea?'

3 cheers for TRH, half of umno died when TunM and you were bickering, the other half jumped shipped when anwar and TunM bickered. Now there's a huge silent majority. Its still entertaining to see the diehards talk though....Dato sak, ur a diehard arent you just like TunM, just like TRH just like uncle kit :).

Dear Datuk Sak,Walla's contributions here, is a strong reminder, nothing short of instilling the right values can help our 'poor' country reinvigorate itself. Pointless for politicians and the wonderboys to come up with mind-numbing data, jaws, and graphs when we do not have real values to motivate.Dear Walla, you are talking the right stuff!!

I've been following your blog for sometime now and have to admit that you've done admirabily in posting your observations and opinion . The present posting shows your flair for good , honest writing be whatever subject . YM TRH is a true blood blood royalty gentleman . How I wish our other YBs from both fences have at least a little trait as YM TRH . As a senior government servant ( SGS ) in JPM who interacts with the public very frequently , I could sense that the rakyat's concern is for the nation's leaders to really address equality and justice to all concerned and not selectively.

p.s. At present , I'm on leave and in posting this comment on my own lap top , I'm not using precious work time paid by the rakyat.

Of course Ku Li is one of the few gentlemen left in Umno. That's why many including the opposition respect him. As for Lim Kit Siang, what can one say about him. He's been a beacon of hope for many of us. The battles he had fought had been tough but then, he's a tough cookie. In other more liberal country, the government would honor him even though he's in the opposition. But we are in Malaysia aren't we? But history will remember him as a great man of principle and resolve even when he's long gone. If not for our racist policy, he would probably be the PM today and a great one too instead of the pathetic and corrupt leaders that we are now saddled with. Sigh....